Electrical attachment-plug.



Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

W! VJESSES' wfad am.

A FOR/V576 W (3. TREGONING ELECYRiCAL ATTACHMENT PLUG.

APPUCATSQH FELED DELI 11.5934.

Patentad Mar. .21, 1916.

2 sflEifTS SHEET 2 INVENTOR Wiiimm C. Fegonim;

A TTORNEYa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM C. TBEGONING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRICAL ATTACHMENT-PLUG.

Application filed December 21, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM C. Tens on- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Attachment-Plugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrical attachment plug, and the invention comprises an'attachment plug particularly constructed to receive a pair of conducting wires at the rear end and to project jointly through the front end of the plug body for convenient attachment to a pair of binding screws located in visible and accessible places at the front end of said plug without requiring removal of the screw shell from the main body of the plug, regardless of whether the plug is of the fixed sleeve type or the revoluble sleeve type, and the construction of the plug also involves the use of a rotatable crown located at the front end of the plug to grip both conducting wires to relieve the binding screws of all pulling strains and which crown member is especially designed to carry the end contact for the plug and to permit final attachment of one wire conductor to said contact to effect locking of said crown. member against a return rotation subsequent to gripping the conducting wires by said crown member.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 9 show one form of an attachment plug with a revoluble sleeve, constructed according to my invention, Fig. 1 being a perspective view of a complete plug as it appears with the conducting wires attached. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wire-gripping crown member and the binding screw and washer which provide the end contact for the plug. Fig. 3 is a side view of the wiregripping crown. .lnember and the end contact screw and washer assembled. Fig. 4 is side view of the main parts of the plug sleeved upon a cable or cord having two electric conductors stripped therefrom and extending through the outer end of the plug body in position for attachment to the terminal binding screws. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inseparable parts of the plug. Fig. 6 is a central section longitudin'ally of the plug with the conductors at- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 878,259.

tached to the binding screws and gripped by the crown member. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the conducting ring for the screw shell. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of Fig. i. Fig. 9 is a central section longitudinally of the plug without the crown member and showing a View at right angles to Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention and Fig. 11 is a plan view and transyerse section on line 1-1, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 1s a sectional view of the screw shell and its contact ring aflixed together in inseparable and rotatable relations by rejections on the ring. Fig. 13 is a part c evation and part sectional view of a solid plug embodying my invention. Fig. 14 is an end view, and Fig. 15 a transverse section of the solid plug shown in Fig. 13.

In my improved electrical attachment plug, the wiring thereof, that is, the fastening of the electric conductors or wires to the plug terminals is an operation which is greatly simplified and made as convenient as possible. In this way, time and labor are saved. Accordingly, I make the attachment plug in two main parts-a body '2 having a screw-shell 3 inseparably ailixed thereto, and a crown member 4 havin a screw stem 5 separably engaged with said body. Further, I locate both terminals or binding screws 6 and 7 for the wires 8 and 9, respectively, at the front ends of said body 2 and crown 4, respectively, and provide aothrough opening 10 centrally of the body 2 to permit both wires 8 and 9 to be inserted freely therein and projected to any desired distance beyond the front end of said body, especially when the crown 4 is removed, see Fig. 4. Stripping of the wire ends of their insulated covering may proceed either before the wires are inserted or after sleeved relations are established, and then one wire end 12 may be attached to the binding screw 6 which is visible and directly accessible at the front end of body 2 immediately adjacent the central opening by the screw shell 3, either directly or indirectly; that is to say, in a plug having a screw shell which does not rotate independently of the body I prefer to mount said screw 6 on an integral or aflixed ear'l l at the front end of said shell, see Fig. 13, and in a plug having a revoluble screw shell. such as 10. Binding screw 6 is carried means of a screw driver or shown in Figs. 6 and 10, I prefer to mount said screw 6 on a separate electric-currentconducting ring 15 mounted upon and carried by said shell, see Fig. 12.. It must be understood that crown at is not in place when end 12 of wire 8 is anchored by screw 6. and that the body 2 and its attached shell are inseparable and held together in one hand while the other hand is free to affix the wire end 12 underneaththe head of screw 6 by 7 other suitable tool. The stripped end 16 of the second wire 9 is bent laterally out of the wayduring the foregoing operations, see Fig. 13, and the crown l is then screwed into place before at taehing said end 16 to the second terminal or binding screw 7 at the center and front of the crown.

One function of crown-4 is to carry the end contact for the plug consisting of the screw 7 and brass washer 17, and another function of the crown is to cover and protect the first binding screw 6 and the wire end 12. A further and important function of the crown is to grip or wedge both wires 6 and 7 within the body 2 to relieve all pulling strains on the terminals or binding screws, and such gripping orwedging is effected by screwing the stem 5 intothe screw-threaded front portion 18 of the central opening 10 until both wires are engaged by the conical or rounded end 19 of the stem and pressed tightly against the sharp-edged. shoulders 20 at opposite sides of opening 10 at the base or inner end of the two opposite channels or grooves 21 and 22, one for each wire 8 and 9 respectively. Said channels extend to and are open at the front end of body 2 which permits the wires to be spread apart and to extend through the body at opposite sides of the screw stem 5. \Vhen the stem is in place, it prevents short circuiting of the two bare wire ends as both body 2 and the crown 4 and its stem are made of insulating material. The size of the channels in transverse section is merely suflicient to admit the wires freely and to prevent twisting or displacement of the wires when the screw stem 5 rotatably engages and wedges the wires against the shoulders 20. The unthreaded portion of the opening 10 is slightly larger in diameter than the front threaded portion 18 to ac commodate the larger diameter of such wires as have additional insulation or covering The necessity wedging and gripping of the wires demands that the wire end 16 of the second wire 9 be projected laterally as shown in Fig. 13, and the fastening of the wire end 16 to the end contact or screw 7 subsequent to such rotation of the crown requires a longitudinal groove or slot 24 in the periphery of the crown.

Different thicknesses of wire or insulating )ins 32 see Fig. 7 c4 of rotating crown 4 to effect covering affect the final setting of the crown relatively to the front end ,of the body, but a plural number of radial slots 24 in the crown enable the operator to produce maximum. wedging results on the wires regardless of their thickness and at the same time place one of the slots opposite and in parallel alinement with the open end of chan nel 22 so that the wire end 16 may be drawn inward toward the center of the crown and wound around screw 7 within the central de pression 25' beneath washer 17. The result is that the bare wire end 16 is retired and protected and when anchored in place by tightening screw 7 the crown is also locked against return rotation by the taut wire lodged in the slot and spanning the slight gap between the crown and body. The radial slots 2% also provide a good gripping edge to rotate the crown and present a very ornamental and distinctive appearance to the plug as a whole, see Fig. ll. A small cylindrical core 26 of metal is molded centrally in the crown at the base of the depression to receive screw 7 and to provide good electrical contact for the wire end 16. see Fig. 6.

In Figs. 1 to 9, I show a plug having" a screw shell rotatably mounted on a body which is reduced in diameter at its rear end 27 and inclosed by a sleeve 28-of insulating material having external grooves 29 engaged by inwardly-bent tongues 30 on the screw shell 3. The front end of the screw shell has an inturned flange 31 overlapping an annular shoulder on the body and the shell is free to rotate upon the body but is held inseparabletherefrom by said flange and the hand-gripping sleeve engaged by tongues 30. The contact ring 15 in this form of plug surmounts the flange 31 and is fastened to the front end of the body by 9 or their equivalent, and the annular edge 33 of the contact ring is knurled to afford a good finger-gripping surface which is utilized to hold the ring from turning when the binding screw 6 is rotated in fastening the wire end 12 to the ring.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I show a plug having a rotatable screw-shell secured upon a tubular mounting or sleeve 34 of insulating material by an inwardly-projecting flange 35 of double thickness and by crimping or indenting part of the shell at 36 into one or more recesses 37 in the side of the sleeve. The contact ring 15 is carried by the flange 35 and is rotatably and permanently affixed to the shell by an inturned flange 38 at the front end of the shell. The plug body 2, contact 15, and the sleeve 3 are inseparably united together to provide a single unit for greater convenience in handling the parts during wiring operations, but to facilitate wiring operations the rear 3i and screw shell end of the lwi shown in Fig. 10 is extended beyond the sleeve 34 and serrated to afford a finger grip in holding the body while attaching the wire end 12 to the binding screw 6. Or extension 3) may be omitted, and the front end of ,thesheet cut away in part on, opposite sides to expose the annular edge of the contact ring 15 to provide :1 finger grip, see 11. In Fig. 12, I show a screw-shell with an inturned flange 40 at its front end inseparably aiiixed to a metal contact ring 15 by downwardly and outwardly extending cars or projections 42. The shell is free to rotate but is held in permanent contacting re .tions with the ring by said ears or projections an the annular edge l3 of the ring :itl'ords a linger grip.

In Figs. l3 to iii I show a plug in which the screw shell imn'iovably fixed to the body by pointed indents i4, but the shell may be molded on the body or any other suitable means 0? attachment may be used instead.

The beveled or conical end of the screw stem 5 serves to spread the wires apart be fore. gripping or wedging occursand the wedging action is also in the same direction, that is. laterally. which avoids severe pulling strains on the wire and their binding ends.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising independent contact members having terminals for the Wires, a body part and a. rotatable nonconducting screw member at the front end thereof to support said members. and seats internally of the body and a wedging portion on said screw member to grip the lcadingin wires and relieve said terminals of pulling strains.

.3. An attachment plug or electric wires comprising independent contacts and binding screws. v a supporting body for one of said mutants having wedging surfaces for the leading-in wires. and a. rotatable finger grip member hm an extension of insulat ing material projected into the front end of the body to grip the wires and relieve the binding SClBWaof pulling strains. said member carrying one of said contacts and bind ing rews at the front end thereof.

3; An attachment plug body for electric wires having independent contacts and bind ing screws mounted thereon and internal seats for the leading-in wires the mounting for one of said contacts comprising a crown having a screw stem of insulating material engaged with the front end of the bod and to wedge the wires upon said seats and re lieve the binding screws of pulling strains 4. An attachment plug body for electric wires having independent cotact members supported thereon and, provided with internal seats for the leadingdu wires and. a crown member at the front end of c {3 body having a screw stem with a conical end to engage and wedge the wires against the seats within the body.

An attachment plug for electric Wires comprising a body having internal wedging surfaces for the wires and provided with a contact shell connected with one of said wires, and a non-conducting screw member having an end contact for one wire and an integral stem to wedge the wires against said surface.

6. An electrical attachment plug comprising an open body having a screw shell, a rotatable crown of insulating material at the front end of said body having an integral screw portion in direct screw engagement with said body and carrying an end contact. and terminal binding screws for conducting wires at the front of said shell and crown, respectively.

7. An electrical attachment plug, comprising a screw-shell having a terminal binding screw, a mounting for said shell having an opening for the leadingin wires. and a crown'member in rotatable screw engagement with said mounting provided with a Contact and wire fastening screw at its front end and a radial slot in its outer edge open to said contact screw to accommodate a wire conductor and facilitate wiring operations and to effect locking of said crown against rotation by means of said wire conductor.

8. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising a body having a contact member thereon provided with a terminal connector for a conducting wire and wedging seats within for said wire and a second wire, and a rotatable crown having screw engagement with said body and provided with an end Contact and terminal connection for the second conducting wire and adapted to wedge both wires within the body at the end of its rotatii'e movement in respect to said body.

An attachment plug for electric wires comprising a body having a screw shell inseparabl allixed thereto, and a crown member having an integral screw stem of insulating material separably and rotatably engaged with the front end of said body.

10. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising a body having a central opening with wedging surfaces for the wires, a screw shell mounted on said body, a crown member ha ing a screw stein engaged within said body opening in wire-wedging relations with said wedging surfaces. and an end contact and terminal connection at the front of said crown for one of the wires.

11. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising a body having a screw-threaded opening at its i'ront end and wire-edging surfaces internally, and provided with a screwshell and a wire-connecting terminal at the front end thereof, in combination walls of the body.

with a crown member having a screw stem -cngaged with said body adjacent said wireand provided with a conwedging surfaces terminal at its tact and wire-connecting front end. i

12. An attachment plug for electric wires, comprising a body having a central screwthreaded opening and longitudinal passages open at each side "'ereof and at the front end of said body for the leading-in wires. a screw shell and wireconnecting means therefor mounted on said body. a crown member having a screw stem engaged within said opening between said passages to wedge the leai'ling-in wires against the interior and a contact and wire terminal connection at the front end of said crown member.

151. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising' a body having a central screwthre-ided opening, and a rotatable crown of insulating material adapted to screw into said opening from the front end of said body. a screw shell for said body. and ter1ninal binding screws for the electrical wires mounted at the front ends of said body and crown, respectively.

.1 l. An attachment plug for electric wires comprising a body having a central opening with shouldered side channels and screwthreads and provided with a screw shell and a wire-connecting terminal for the shell, in combination with a slotted crown having a screw stem to screw-engage said body and to co-act with the channel shoulders to grip the wires and provided with a contact and \vire-con1lecting terminal at its front end.

15. In an attachment plug for electric wires, a body and a screw shell mounted th reon. and a wire connection for said shell, said body having passages for the leading-in wires. in combination with a screw crown separably engaged with said body and having a central end contact and radial slots in the periphery thereof to aline with one of said passages for the wire leading to said contact.

16.111 an attaclm'icnt wires, in combination. a body tral passage for the wires and an outer screw shell, a non-conducting crown member having rotatable screw engagement with said body and provided with a peripheral slot and an end contact, and leading-in wires extending through said central passage and slot connected with said shell and end c0n tact.

du for electric having a cenplug for electric wires opening and grip the wires and having an end contact and binding screw for one of the wires.

18. In an attachment plug for electric wires. a body of insulating material having a central screw portion and channels at each side thereof open to the front end of the ody, a screw shell mounted on said body,

wire-connecting means at the front end of said body for said shell. aml a screw crown removably engaged with said body and hav ing a central end contact and wire-binding screw and provided with an edge slot to accommodate a con .lucting wire for the end contact.

19. In an attachment plug for electric wires. a body having a contact ring and a wire binding screw at its front end and carrying a rotatable screw shell, a separate rotatable crown in screw engagement with said body, and a front end contact and a wire inding screw upon said crown.

20. In an attachment plug for electric wires. a body having a central opening and gripping surfaces for the wires and pro vided with a screw-threaded portion at its front end, a screw shell rotatably mounted upon said body. a contact ring at the front end of said body to hold the shell in place. a wire binding screw for said ring. a rotatable screw crown for the front end of said body having an end contact and a wire binding screw and provided with a wire-gripping portion extcnding into said central opening to cooperate with said gripping surfaces.

21. In an attachment plug for electric wires, an open body having a screw shell rotatably mounted thereon. and a contact member for said shell at the front end of said body having a wire binding screw. in

a rotatable crown having a non-conducting screw engagement with said contact at the front of said crown comprisinga wire-binding screw.

22. In an attachment plug for electric wires, a body having a central screw-opening with side channels and wcdging portions for the wires, a screw shell rotatably mounted upon the body, and a contact memher for said shell having a wire-binding screw, in combination with a having a screw stem to enter said screw combination wi. a slotted edge and stem in separable body and a central :1. wirebinding screw at the front of said crown. In an attachment plug for electric wires, a body and a screw shell rotatably mounted upon said body, said shell having screw, and an end contact and Wire-bin mg screw carried by said slotted crown :54. 11; m; s'ihnmm flug '2}: wires. 1: ody having Wit": 5155mm :QTGW rim-KL a nmwwudacting tuta'nlv scram 1 Inning; a berks; m uka iistnnt 13:11:! i-xtending inward from the mgc thcrsof adapted Tu be Mined with one of said sages, and \i (-C{:-1 .n(?tin;j iermi:

V in r0- suld bud} suds at the front ends of said body and cmwn, respectively WILLIAM C. Witnesses R. B Mosmz, F. J. GREEK.

TREGONING.

Gopiea of thiS patent may bu shtaizmi in: 11w: minis eawh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents- Wasningtan, B, G. 

